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Cloverfield

Cloverfield

Date: Feb 27 2008

Themes: Pop Culture

Intro

1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.

2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

If a monster were attacking your city, the first thing you would reach for would probably be one of two things: a weapon…

...or a camera.

I mean, it’s not every day that the Statue of Liberty (or equally famous monument in your city) gets destroyed, you know? This is a historic moment. You’re going to want pictures of this…or video.

Cloverfield is a new movie that follows five New Yorkers as the city is destroyed by a monster. But unlike most Hollywood disaster movies, Cloverfield was filmed on a single hand-held digital camera. It makes the movie seem really realistic.

Since the fake amateur footage looked so real, the advertisements for Cloverfield were kind of scary. They didn’t explain that it was a movie. They just showed the hand-held camera footage and gave a date a few weeks in the future. Kind of scary.

The ads made some people want to see the movie, others not want to see it and everyone else confused. Listen to Mason and Devan talk about the movie so that you won’t be confused!

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

Log in to Listen

2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Devan

Devan

Mason

Mason

Devan:  So you know that new movie, Cloverfield that’s out right now?

Mason:  Yeah, I was actually really stoked about all the previews and stuff…

Devan:  I thought that it looked terrible, but then my sister called me and she said that if I went and saw it and if I didn’t like it she would give me my ten dollars back to reimburse me for the ticket.

Mason:  Seriously?

Devan:  Yeah. She was completely sold on it. So I went…

Mason:  So, are you ten dollars richer now?

Devan:  I did not ask her reimburse me. I enjoyed it. I was pleasantly surprised.

Mason:  OK, but you had low expectations though.

Devan:  For having low expectations…I think that made a big difference. I think if I had been really psyched about it I might not have been that impressed. And it’s also a movie you have to see in the theater. If you rent it, it’s pointless. Like, don’t even bother renting it. If you’re going to see it, go see it now in the theater because that’s the whole fun of it. It’s kind of like an amusement park ride. It’s like a thrill ride.

Mason:  Right because it’s all just a single-hand cam.

Devan:  Yeah it’s all just a single-hand camera which is really neat because it was kind of like a cross between the Blair Witch and Godzilla, basically, because it’s got this giant creature that’s destroying the city, but it’s all about the hand-held camera which was the Blair Witch thing.

 

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Discussion

Devan didn’t want to see Cloverfield, but her sister liked it so much that she said that if Devan went and didn’t like it, she would pay her back for the ticket. Devan didn’t ask for her money back.

She says it might have helped that she didn’t think it was going to be good, but Devan compares Cloverfield to a ride at an amusement park. It also reminds her of a combination between the most famous monster movie of all time, Godzilla, and another well-known movie made on a hand-held camera, The Blair Witch Project.

If a monster were attacking your city, would you run for your camera or run away?

 

Comments

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tattys_17

Peru

I saw the movie last month, and it really sucked! It wasn’t scary at all!

12:10 PM Feb 28 2008 |

anindithya

anindithya

Indonesia

i luv thiz movie.. friggin` cool!!! i undereztimated it from the pozterz.. n a kinda boring beginning.. but whent it all started.. i luv evry second of it!!

11:46 AM Feb 28 2008 |

cloud's

Pakistan

i pick my camera and saved this seen

08:54 AM Feb 28 2008 |

neo_nro

neo_nro

Philippines

i like watching this matter that evolves into the next gneration.

08:30 AM Feb 28 2008 |

cynthia.

China

I saw this moive two weeks before. In fact, it so boring! If I was Devan,I would call my sister to give 10 dollars to me.

04:55 AM Feb 28 2008 |

lzha80

lzha80

Australia

Its style makes me feel sick, i don't like it.

03:23 AM Feb 28 2008 |

lzha80

lzha80

Australia

Its style makes me feel sick, i don’t like it.

03:21 AM Feb 28 2008 |

sunny985464

China

Smile

12:55 AM Feb 28 2008 |

lingpingbaby

China

i would run away,and call 110

11:51 PM Feb 27 2008 |

Alebaby

Alebaby

Chile

I saw this movie, it was awesome!!!!  My friend didn't think so but I enjoyed it so much!  We didn't know a thing about this movie; we were supposed to see "PS: I Love You", but we got there too late, at the last minute we decided to see Cloverfield.  It was really a thrill ride, at one point I found myself screaming! Laughing

11:21 PM Feb 27 2008 |

SÉRGIO

SÉRGIO

Brazil

this kind of movie is so bad, i don’t want to watch it!

08:54 PM Feb 27 2008 |

SÉRGIO

SÉRGIO

Brazil

I don't like this kind of films, but It would be cool to see a big monster in my city haha!

08:50 PM Feb 27 2008 |

HuangYe

HuangYe

United Kingdom

I don't like something horrible or unearthliness,many people start out to find someting like that out of a sense  of  seek novelty,but when the horrible things really happen it's totally another thing~

03:41 PM Feb 27 2008 |

fjoan

fjoan

China

If the monster attacked our city,I would run away rapidly~Then look for a safe place to lie up~

02:08 PM Feb 27 2008 |

daniel821

daniel821

China

I am so eager to see this movie, i think  it's very interesting and maybe some little bit scary ,but i like it. Besides, i have seen The Blair Witch, which is a very special film and got a very nice office box comparing with its cost. I recommend it to you all and hope that you can communicate with me after seeing it.

01:47 PM Feb 27 2008 |

mountainer

mountainer

Turkey

the peace

11:36 AM Feb 27 2008 |

cheery.xia

cheery.xia

China

I will flight with Monster by reaching for a weapon,If I fail to defeat him,I will run for another city,and attempt to assemble the rounding people to fight up together.

11:22 AM Feb 27 2008 |

cheery.xia

cheery.xia

China

I will flight with Monster by reaching for a weapon,If I fail to defeat him,I will run for another city,and attempt to assemble the rounding people to fight up together.

11:21 AM Feb 27 2008 |

zeus2006

zeus2006Super Member!

Turkey

Altough I don’t like this kind of movies lesson’s conversation and some comments are very funny.I liked.

11:16 AM Feb 27 2008 |

zeus2006

zeus2006Super Member!

Turkey

First of all I don't like this kind of movies, even it had been taken on a single hand-held camera, this is just like a story for children.I want to reply to someone about their behaving against to the monster: Some of them told they would fight against to it, How? With a cudgel or gun….Come on friendsI guess we just answer as a class, if not, What can I say :) .

11:14 AM Feb 27 2008 |

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